Ask The Doctor: Apart From Delta Variant, Four Other Notable Strains of COVID Which Can Be Dangerous

A year and a half after the Coronavirus pandemic wrecked our collective lives, our society has been grappling with fear and insecurity. As a result, we have seen misinformation spread like wildfire, and many resorting to bizarre and incorrect methods of dealing with the virus. With this column, which will be published every Sunday, we aim to address any health or vaccine-related question our readers might have about the coronavirus pandemic.

In this week’s column, Maj Gen (Dr) Vibha Dutta, SM Director and CEO, AIIMS Nagpur has answered questions related to the delta variant, and talked about other dangerous emerging strains of COVID 19.

Why are vaccinated people getting the Delta variant?

According to the CDC, the Delta variant is highly contagious and likely to cause more severe disease. Some feel that this incredibly contagious version of the virus is almost like a whole different virus.

Though the symptoms are generally the same as other COVID-19 strains: fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, respiratory congestion, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea, physicians are seeing people getting sick quicker, even younger people. Vaccinated people, however, generally remain asymptomatic or develop mild symptoms.

Vaccines prevent severe diseases in more than 90 percent of people but may be less effective at preventing infection or transmission of the delta variant. Therefore, there could be more breakthrough infections and more community spread despite people’s vaccination status.

Though current vaccines continue to provide strong protection against severe illness and death, the delta variant is believed to be responsible for an increase in breakthrough infections.

Are there other emerging variants of COVID-19, apart from Delta, that can be dangerous?

There are four notable variants that are considered variants of concern.

B.1.1.7 or Alpha variant, which was first detected in the United Kingdom; B.1.351 or Beta variant was initially detected in South Africa in December 2020; P.1 or Gamma variant was initially identified in travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at an airport in Japan, in early January.

Then there is Delta plus variant. Maharashtra on Friday, August 13, confirmed five deaths due to the Delta Plus variant. Among the five fatalities, two patients were from the Ratnagiri district and one each from Raigad, Beed and Mumbai. Hence it is important to be cautious and is imperative to strictly adopt a COVID appropriate behaviour by all. Delta Plus has been formed as a result of Delta acquiring a mutation called K417N in the spike protein. The new mutation of the B.1.617.2 strain or the Delta variant, as named by the WHO, has been found to have two graded mutations L452R and P871R.

How does the Delta variant affect pregnant women?

The rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of Sars-CoV-2 has prompted health officials to warn about its impact on pregnant women. Health officials in several countries have urged expectant mothers to get vaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as soon as possible to protect themselves and their babies

A study conducted by University of Oxford researchers using data from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) suggested the severity of pregnant women’s illness appears to have become worse with the Delta variant.

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